The Western Australian competition for the Model Solar Boat Challenge for Primary Schools was won by Gooseberry Hill Primary School with their boat Witchcraft and the Model Solar Car Challenge for Secondary Schools was won by Winthrop Baptist College with their boat Powerhouse.

The Western Australian competition for the Model Solar Boat Challenge for Primary Schools has been won by Gooseberry Hill Primary School with their boat Witchcraft.

The Western Australian competition for the Model Solar Car Challenge for Secondary Schools was won by Winthrop Baptist College with their car Powerhouse.

The Western Australian state competition is run by the Sustainable Energy Association of Australia (SEA - www.seaaus.com.au) as a part of the SEA Energising Kids program.

The top placed teams have won the right to compete in the Australian International Model Solar Car Challenge to be held 26- 27 November 2011 in Hobart, Tasmania.

SEA is committed to a sustainable energy future for all of Australia, and we are proud to host the Western Australian competition of the Australian Model Boat and Car Solar Challenge which was held 20-21 October 2011 in Fremantle through our Energising Kids program.

SEA thank our sponsors supporting the competition - major sponsors BGC and the Western Australian Government through the Office of Energy, and other sponsors in Western Power, the Central Institute of Technology, and Murdoch University, and supporters Coles Fremantle, Cappucino Xpress, City of Fremantle, Neverfail Springwater Scitech, and Subway Fremantle.

We also thank our many volunteers and mentors for their support – support that is critical to the successful running of an event such as this.

SEA's aim for this competition is to connect with primary and secondary school students, and to enable students to understand better ways to use and conserve energy.

‘This challenge will help educate the next generation of leaders and promote the benefits of a more sustainable lower carbon future,' Professor Ray Wills, SEA CEO.

Details of competition winners and their cars or boats are:

2011 Model Solar Car (Secondary Schools)

1st Place Winthrop Baptist College – Powerhouse
2nd Place Aquinas College – Mike Couanis
3rd Place Belridge Senior High School – Roadhouse
4th Place Girrawheen Senior High School – Spectrum
Most Creative Car awarded to Toasted from Winthrop Baptist College
Best Poster awarded to Aquinas College

WILD CARDS
1. Guildford Grammar School with – Black Betty
2. Karratha Senior High School – Psyclops

2011 Model Solar Boats (Primary Schools)

1st Place Gooseberry Hill Primary School – Witchcraft
2nd Place Parkwood Primary School – Parkwood Rebels
3rd Place Rawlinson Primary School - Turtle
4th Place Parkwood Primary School - Eliminator
Most Creative Boat Photon – Rockingham Beach Primary School
Best Poster Rawlinson Primary School

WILD CARDS
1. Guildford Grammar School – Irma
2. Rockingham Beach – Photon

Winning schools were awarded $1000 in cash, trophies and prizes to the teams. Second placed schools won $500 in cash and prizes to the teams, and $250 cash and prizes to third place getters. Prizes were also awarded to fourth place, and for the best poster describing the school's project, and for the most creative design in boat and car entries.

Photographs from the competition can be downloaded at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Energising-Kids-Solar-Car-and-Boat-Challenge/147745761989795

A list of participating schools (and video footage racing in last year's competition) can be found at http://www.seaaus.com.au/content/view/378/185/.